SEEN AND HEARD: DYSCARNATE, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, HELL, ACEPHALIX, CRIPPER

 

As forecast in yesterday’s SEEN AND HEARD post, I’ve accumulated enough new things of interest since the end of last week to justify posting a round-up today and tomorrow as well as yesterday. Because of the delays occasioned by goofing off last weekend, some of the items I’ve gathered together aren’t as “hot off the presses” as I’d prefer, but they still may be new discoveries for some of you, especially as I dig a bit deeper into the underground for Friday’s post.

DYSCARNATE

Dyscarnate was the subject of a SYNN REPORT back in 2016 in which my colleague Andy reviewed their discography as it then existed, culminating in 2012’s And So It Came To Pass. But nothing has come to pass from these death metal titans since that stunning record, until word began to spread last spring that the band were in the studio recording a new full-length (and that news landed them on a list of Andy’s most anticipated releases for this year). Now, more details have surfaced about this new Dyscarnate effort.

 

 

With All Their Might is the name of the new album, and as you can see, the hammering cover art (by the French artist Valnoir of Metastazis) has also been revealed. It will be released on September 15th by the band’s new label, Unique Leader Records.

Pre-orders aren’t up yet, but we’re told they will be soon, along with a video for the first advance track. You can bet your ass we’ll be on that like flies to honey when it happens.

TRACK LIST:
1. Of Mice And Mountains
2. This Is Fire!
3. Iron Strengthens Iron
4. Traitors In The Palace
5. To End All Flesh Before Me
6. Backbreaker
7. All The Devils Are Here
8. Nothing Seems Right

Dyscarnate on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Dyscarnate/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM

As previously reported, Wolves In the Throne Room have a new album coming our way on September 22 named Thrice Woven (which includes cover art by Dennis Forkas), via the band’s own label Artemisia Records. When we made that report we included a quote from a press release about a forthcoming video:

“The album begins with ‘Born From the Serpent’s Eye‘ a true thrashing black metal epic that is bisected with a haunting northern lament sung by Swedish star Anna von Hausswolff. The band worked with metal documentarians Peter Beste and Nico Poalillo to create a video for this track which captures a bonfire-lit performance in the forest near their Olympia compound. More on this very soon; to tide us over, check out a trailer that hints at what’s to come.”

A couple of days ago, that video was released, though it only encompasses a third of the album track and doesn’t go far enough to include the vocal interlude by Anna von Hausswolff. As forecast, “Born From the Serpent’s Eye” is a scorcher, yet the heat of its drive and the scalding intensity of the vocals is leavened by the somberness of its melodies — which are quite memorable. It reaches heights of black thrashing ferocity, but it’s heart-aching as well.

Bandcamp:
https://wolvesinthethroneroom.bandcamp.com/album/thrice-woven

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/wolvesinthethroneroom/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HELL

Earlier this week CVLT Nation premiered a song named “Wandering Soul” from the fourth album (self-titled) by the band Hell from Salem, Oregon. It’s the culmination of three years of work by Hell’s sole creator M.S.W. (with some guest vocal and violin contributions). The album features striking cover art by Blial Cabal and will get an August 11 release on tape and digitally by Oakland-based Sentient Ruin Laboratories.

It’s possible that I’ve heard something heavier, more crushing, and more brutally catastrophic than “Wandering Soul” this year, but at the moment I can’t remember — because this stomping, heaving juggernaut drives most thoughts from my head whenever I listen to it. It’s a massive headbanger, and it’s also hellishly harrowing, murderous and cold, spawning the kind of mental images that are captured by the cover art.

So far, “Wandering Soul” is still streaming exclusively at CVLT Nation, so you’ll need to go here to listen to it — and yes, you do need to go listen to it:

http://www.cvltnation.com/premiere-streaming-hell-wandering-soul/

Bandcamp:
https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/hell

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/mswhell/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACEPHALIX

There are very few bands that are as much fun to see live as Acephalix, thanks in large part to the over-the-top charisma of frontman Dan Butler. Having witnessed their live shows three times, I can testify to that. But I’d be buying their releases even if they were hermits who never showed their faces because their recordings are also hellishly good. And now, finally, there’s another one to add to the discography.

I say “finally” because there’s been a five-year gap since Deathless Master appeared in 2012. The new record is named Decreation, it includes cover art by the great Adam Burke, and it’s scheduled for release by the band’s new label 20 Buck Spin on September 22nd in a wide range of formats. The first advance track, “Suffer (Life In Fragments)” debuted earlier this week.

This is death metal romping and ravaging of a high order, brutish in its plundering and also poisonously seething, but including the kind of scampering punk/crust rhythms that are sure to ignite the pit — which is something Acephalix do with a sure and calculated hand. Dan Butler sounds like Dan Butler, which is to say, great.

Bandcamp:
http://listen.20buckspin.com/album/decreation

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ACEPHALIX-116269338417902/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CRIPPER

The time has arrived for Album No. 5 by the German band Cripper. The new one is named Follow Me: Kill!, and based on the first advance track, I’m inclined to say, “Yes: I Will!“.

“Pressure” is the name of the new song, and it’s a high-octane ass-kicker. Vocalist Britta Görtz sounds like a cross between a banshee and a  wolf and panther that haven’t been fed in a few weeks, and her bandmates are firing on all cylinders too, thrashing and galloping at high speed but serving up a platter of jolting grooves as well. It gets the blood pumping quite effectively.

Follow Me: Kill! will be released by Metal Blade on September 15th.

Pre-order:
https://cripper.bandcamp.com/album/follow-me-kill
https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords/search/?q=Cripper-Kill-2017

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Cripper.Official/